But in truth, an IceWEB shareholder set up the pay-to-promote scheme between Smith and IceWEB’s CEO, court papers claim.

Even after the CEO unexpectedly died, and the stock fell from 18 cents per share to 12 cents, Smith stayed the course.

The day after the CEO died, according to the SEC, Smith posted on the NBT site: “IceWEB Update: Out of Tragedy Comes Resolve to Finish the Mission.”

Smith, who could not be reached for comment, neither admitted nor denied wrongdoing in settling the SEC action.

But his failure to fulfill its terms moved Judge Thomas F. Hogan in Washington, DC, to hold the absent Smith in contempt.

Smith’s exit from Fox in 2013 was similarly shaded.

The “Bulls & Bears” regular had his NBT newsletter hype Petrosonic Energy in exchange for $50,000 — although he acknowledged the paid advertising in a disclaimer. Smith also avoided on-air mentions of Petrosonic.

Yet he was terminated under a policy that barred FBN contributors from accepting rewards for promoting individual stocks — regardless of where the promotion appears.